The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-09-08
a Terribly Fatal Disaster at an Eng.
lish Playhouse.

LONDON, September 5.-The theatre
att Exeter took fire this evening during
the performance of "Romany Rye
The occupants of the pit, after an awful
struggle, escaped, but many of them
were greatly injured. There was only
one exit from the gallery and the rush
there was terrific. Scores were frodden
under foot and suffocated. A fire escape
was brought to the window and many
inside were rescued. Sixty corpses have
been removed. The injured survivors
we're sent to the hospital. The mortality
is estimated at 100.
The structure burned was the Theatre
Royal, It was built after the latest
design and was elaborately fitted up,
being considered one of the prettiest IN
the Kingdom. There was full house
tonight, and everything was all right
until the end of the third act, at half
past 10, when the drop scene fell and in
a moment the whole stage was mass OF
fire.
a wild panic ensued. The occupants
of the stage, pit and dress circle escaped
after dreadful crushing, many being
badly bruised. The actors and actresses
were in their dressing-rooms when the
fire began and all escaped.
The fire originated in the flies and
spread rapidly, filling the theatre with
dense smoke. The occupants of the
upper. circle and gallery rushed to the
windows screaming frantically. Many
jumped from the windows and were
injured. Others were rescued with the
aid of ladders from the yerandas. .
The fire blazed fercely, lighting up the
whole city. People were soon focking
to the scene in thousands, inquiring for
their friends.
The scene inside the theatre when the
fire broke out was an awful one. Some
men implored the audience to be cool,
but it was impossible to check the frantic
rush. The theatre hose was brought into
use in q few minutes, but the water had
little effect on the flames.
z The actors. and actresses were taken
from the windows with the aid OF ladders.
They lost everything except what they
wore at the time.
up to the present time one hundred
and thirty bodies have been recovered.
They are almost unrecognizable. Thirty
injured survivors have been taken to
hospitals.
The fire burned through the night.
The search for bodies proceeds slowly.
In many cases every shred of clothing is
burned off and the bodies look black and
raw. -
There are various reports as to the
origin of the fire. It is only certain that
the flames broke out in the scene shif-
ter's department.
Those who escaped say that the special
exit was promptly opened. The fire
brigade arrived five minutes. after the
breaking out of the flames, but the
efforts Of the fremep were without effect.
There we're several thrilling rescues. a
majority of the victims were men and
boys. About thirty womeTwere burned.
I When the fire started the drop scene
was lowered to prevent a draught. Some
Sof the actors opened q door, toiescape,
causing the: fire to burst through the
drop scene and to- ignite the gallery.
The flames. overlook the people, who
were wedged in mass, and roasted them
to death. BIZ
Many who were rescued alive died
soon. after; being brought out of the burn
ing building. The occupants of the
dress circle escaped without serious
harm.
LONDON, September GA telegram
from Exeter, at5 o'clock this morning,
says: The FIRE is under control. Only
the walls of the structure are standing
People distracted with anxiety are wan
sdering about the streets in the neighbor-
hood of the thcrtre in search Of friends
-who attended last nights performance.
The hospitals are besieged by anxious
inquirers for friends. Twenty badly
burned persons, who were admitted to
the hospitals, died a few moments after
they were received.